Don’t forget to email your pictures for show and tell to Debbie by Monday Sept 28.
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In order to attend our zoom meeting your membership must be up to date. If you did not receive a a zoom invite from Gail and your membership has been paid please contact the Gail the quild’s secretary.
Here is the link for the short film that Bonnie mentioned in her letter.
http://www.nfb.ca/film/quilt/
Just a reminder that membership renewals are due Sept. 1. The registration form is here. The mailing address is:
Blue Mountain Quilters’ Guild
Box 41025
Port Coquitlam, BC
V3C 5Z9
The written article about the show and tell meetings is in the TriCity New July 9, 2020 pg A17
I am very sad to report that my dear friend, Judy Ellis, passed away this morning, June 7. Judy and I have been friends since the mid-eighties when we did course work together at SFU and UBC. We were both teachers in Coquitlam, and became good friends through that association, and we both eventually ended our careers teaching together at Riverview Park Elementary.
Judy and I started quilting in 1997, and in 1999 we joined Piece Arch Quilters. Judy was a charter member of Blue Mountain Quilters, and we were also both members of Dogwood Quilting Sisters in Coquitlam. Judy was very excited to have a quilting group in Coquitlam, and always enjoyed the lively activities at our meetings. She was active in all the quilting groups she belonged to, making many community quilts for the Women’s Transition House in Coquitlam through Dogwood, and being part of a group who made a Centennial quilt for Alexandra House in Crescent Beach through Piece Arch Quilters. Judy did not attend Blue Mountain this year as it became difficult for her to be out in the evenings.
Judy’s health has been in steady decline for the last few years, and she had been in hospital twice in the last months. She was moved to St. Michael’s Hospice in Burnaby on Friday and passed away there this morning. Judy is survived by her husband, Don, her daughter Jennifer, and her son Chris. She will be greatly missed by her family and her many friends.
Former Guild member, Marina Belanger passed away at the end of April. She was a member of the Guild from 2014 to 2018 , during which time she was the Block of the Month coordinator for a year and won a ribbon in the 2016 Quilt Show for her turquoise bag made of Jelly Roll strips wound around cotton cord. At the Mexican Christmas party, she was part of the ukulele duet. Marina was an avid sewer with her latest interest being clothing pattern making. Marina and I joined the Guild the same day and she became my first friend after moving to BC. She was always ready to take me fabric shopping. Marina leaves her daughter Sylvie, son Paul, granddaughter Roma, her mother and sister.
There will be a memorial occasion when the future permits. Anyone who would like to attend please let me know.
With a heavy heart, Betty Varto
Well, another month has gone by and we are no closer to getting together in the sanctuary of Trinity United Church. Regrettably, we are cancelling the June 5th meeting. The Board of Directors does not want to put anyone in jeopardy with regard to the Covid-19 pandemic. We hope all of you are staying physically and mentally healthy during this unexpected time of social separation.
For those of you making preemie quilts, batting, backing and labels are still available for distribution. Please contact either Dawna (604-941-6075) or Maureen (604-461-9750) to arrange for pick-up. We ask that you please keep the completed quilts until we get confirmation from the RCH NICU that we are able to deliver them.
I have heard from many of you in the past few weeks and am encouraged by the sewing activities that are keeping everyone busy during this ‘quilter in residence’ time. Members are making masks for friends, family and health care workers and/or constructing donation quilts and gift items for future use. There are numerous sewing tutorials on YouTube that can be accessed for sewing suggestions and instructions. There are also some stitching challenges available on Facebook and Instagram that I have been doing to keep my mind distracted and my hands occupied.
I know it is difficult to keep socially isolating when you have family and friends that you would normally see on a regular basis. As a single person, living alone, I have found it challenging to stay inspired and expend my pent up energy. I’m restless. Gas is inexpensive and I have nowhere to go! Darn!
Some of you are gathering in parking lots to show and tell while abiding the social distancing guidelines. I am asking that you keep the gatherings below the maximum allowable group numbers suggested by local health care professionals. You do not want to attract negative attention from members of the community or municipal government. Do carry on and stay safe. Being able to communicate in person certainly helps to keep spirits high.
Facebook and other social media has definitely helped many of us to keep in touch. I have been having Zoom meetings with fibre art friends south of the border so we can continue to show ‘work in progress’ and share ideas. We have had to cancel our monthly get together so we looked to technology to keep in touch. These meetings have given me a much needed boost despite technical limitations.
Check out the BMQG website and Facebook page for updates and other guild information. Noreen will update information as it comes available. A membership renewal form for 2020/21 is now online. Anyone wanting to renew before September is asked to seal the envelope with a dab of water or scotch tape before mailing. No licking, please.
Keep celebrating the healthcare and other essential workers that are keeping us safe, healthy and able to eat during this extraordinary life experience. Thank-you to our members that are included in that special group. I look forward to the day we can resume regular guild activities. As we keep hearing; we are all in this together.
Please contact me, via email, if you have any questions or concerns that need to be addressed. I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Bonnie (bonita_rozander@telus.net)
These instructions are from the Centre of Disease Control and Prevention (US)
Message to the Blue Mountain Quilters’ Guild membership March 30, 2020
Please read the entire message
As a consequence of the social distancing directive by our health care officials, the BMQG Executive has cancelled the April 16/20 Board of Directors meeting and the May 1st general meeting. The workshop scheduled for May 2nd has also been cancelled. We are hopeful that we will be able to meet in June but we cannot predict the duration of the Covid-19 outbreak.
We have been investigating the possibility of making masks to help out the health care and community groups that are working to keep us safe and healthy during the Covid-19 outbreak. Health care professionals have stressed that homemade cotton masks do not prevent the transmission of the virus but do keep the wearers from touching their face. These masks can give a false sense of security to those unaware of how the virus is transmitted.
Cloth masks need to be made of clean, high thread count cotton fabrics with fusible non-woven interfacing between layers. If these masks are going to be reused multiple times, they must be washed with soap and hot water after each use and can only be used by one individual.
At this time, the BMQG Board of Directors is not planning to take on the making of masks as a community project. We do encourage everyone to continue making preemie quilts and other items for the RCH NICU. They will be needed once the social distancing order is lifted.
If you have questions or concern that you want to bring to the Boards attention, please contact me via email. I will respond as soon as possible.
Please stay safe, maintain social distancing and avoid unessential social gatherings.
Bonnie
bonita_rozander@telus.net